Everybody likes surprises, right? Los Angeles-based Chef Robert “Bean” Castaneda (son of chef Robert Castaneda of the legendary Melvyn’s Restaurant and Lounge in Palm Springs) brings his latest pop-up dinner series — Living, Breathing Kitchen — to Cincinnati this month. Hosting weekly pop-up dinners in surprise locations, Castaneda is bringing a little bit of the West Coast to the Midwest.
Living, Breathing Kitchen is a “farm-to-table” experience, and aims to put something a little different on your plate. The next event, dubbed World on Wheels Forgotten Cuisine, takes place at 5 p.m. Oct. 29 and features dishes inspired by old recipes from days past. Like, way past.
In collaboration with local chefs Christian Gill and Adam Roush, Castaneda has created a menu inspired by meals from the 1300s to the 1800s — think rustic cornbread and meats like cow tongue and bison. Dishes include Pioneer Chicken with peaches and dates, baked pears and elderflower cheesecake for desert and something called Blawmanger made with a chicken and venison pâté. The location of the dinner will be revealed when you purchase tickets.
“I was trained in French and Italian cuisines, but I yearned to explore more flavors and styles from my Mexican and Cuban heritage,” Castaneda said in a statement. “I like to bring cultures together in my cooking to push the envelope and challenge the norm.
“This desire to ‘push the envelope’ is one of the many reasons I came to Cincinnati, that and the fact that there are so many wonderful open, green spaces, and wonderful people who appreciate a wide variety of restaurants and culinary styles. My pop-up restaurant brings people together for a brief, highly memorable experience, while creating something — food, flavors and textures that are experimental and impermanent. And it’s always different.”
The World on Wheels location will only be announced after you’ve bought your ticket (of which only 40 are available), but Castaneda’s other upcoming Cincy pop-ups include residencies at 3 Points Urban Brewery, Rosedale and Sundry and Vice. So if you don’t get the chance to chow down on cow tongue this time around, you might still have your moment.
Living, Breathing Kitchen World on Wheels Forgotten Cuisine: 5-8 p.m. Oct. 29. Location TBA. $75. Email lbkthepopup@gmail.com or call 213-884-7201 for reservations and more information.
This article appears in Oct 10-17, 2018.
